Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-19
BENNlNGT0NS M0NUME
Mp oSlNG CEREMONIES AT THE lay
ING OF Thu CORNER STONE.
Reviewing the Citizen Soldiery-The sol
ttiers Home Presented-Laying the
stone with Masonic Ceremonies
Grafton by Hon. j. w. stewart.


are alive with gray and blue-coated sol
Siiers, git-braided aids and white plumed
knights. 1t seems as though the entire
population of Vermont must be here
Certain it is that no less than 10000 per.
sons are now celebrating the greatest
event that Las taken place in the State
stnce 1877.
Nhe attraction this morning was a re
giew of the State militia, now encamped
AtAamp Seth Warner, by the governors
ri Vermont, Massachusetts and New
a2aHnpshire and Gen. Greenleaf, com
rDander-in-chief. The troops acquitted
themselves nobly aud won many deserved
olagdits.
After the review the Soldiers Home was
presented to the State by Col Mansur and
eceepted by Gov. Ormsbee. Senator Ed.
cnunds made speech which WAS well re-
eDcived.
Among the many notables present are
@iOT. Ames and staff of Massachusetts ::
soy. Sawyer and staff, New Hampshire ;
-aT-Governurs HOlbrook, Fairbanks. Pin
gIse. Barstow and Stewart of Vermont,
2Ed Prescott of New Hampshire the Hon.
representing the United States gov
sernnlent; Lieut,-Gov Fuller, Yer
mont Gen John q. McCuliouGh, w H.
Dubois, State treasurer; Carroll 5. Page,
Inspector of finance; c. w. Porter, secre-
'aIy of state; Gen. William Wells Gen
p. Pltkin, the Hon, B. ID. Harris, Cen
Z ". Thomas of Chicago Senator Ed
ta:,ais, Judge II. H. Powers and Judge
3D.. w. Rowell, Supreme Court of Yer
mont: Commander Woodward, L, S. ~,
Saratoga; Col. A. A. Hall and Congress
znan Grout.
Among the 1000 Masons present are
Oelos NJ. Bacon, grand commander: Will
=; Lewis, department grand commander
fhad. M. Chapman, George w. Wing,
past grand commanders f. S. Fisher.
grand prelate; Marsh o. Perkins, grand
staff bearer; William r. Burlelgh, grand
master of New Hampshire; William
Neckham, past grand master of Massa-
chusetts, and Charles II. Robinson, grand
master of North Carolina.
THE MONUMENT CELEBRATION.
The corner stone ot the Bennington
ST she battle monument was laid this af-
teTnoon with imposing ceremonies and
the largest crowd that was ever gathered
10 the village was present. Business was
practically suspended, every thing being
gwen up to the exercises of the occasion
a great procession formed at 1890 under
the direction of Chief Marshal Col George
w. Hooker and consisted of the military,
civic and masonic divisions. In the mill
larry division were 80 companies of the
New York national guard and the First
Brigade V. n. G. Upon the staff of the
chief marshal were SO prominent citizens
Of Vermont, New York, New Hampshire
AMI Massachusetts,. The order of march
was as follows:
chef marshal, Col. George w. Hooker and
staff,
First Regiment Military Band.
Ilnff
committees
Est Brigade, V. N. g., Brigadier- G eneral w.
r., l.. Greenleaf, commanding.
Coz. julius j. EStey commanding First Regi-
ment, Major George II. Bond COM
manding Provisional Bat
taliOnD
Grand Army Republic, Capt P. D. Blodgett,
department commander.
Visiting military organizations.
Governor of Vermont and staff
representative L. S. government and staff.
Nm Governor Prescott president of the day.
congressman Stewart orator of the da-'.
Governor OF New Hamp hire and staff.
Governor Of Massachusetts and staff
jude Vermont Supreme Court.
Judges Wheeler L. S. Circuit Court.
Civil officers.
Federal officers.
Other civic organizations.
Canton Bennington l. o. o. F., with invited
chevaliers.
Masonic division.
g W Thomas S. Miller, deputy grand mar
shall.
Band.
Temple escort.
Taft COmmandery No.S)
Master Masons,
Il nights Temrla Eminent John X. Pilling,
grand captain general.
3 rand Commandery of Vermont Knights
Templar
mander.
Y 20. Farley g. sheldon. grand marshal
Grand Lodge of Vermont.
g; r-..d masters of New Hampshire and Massa-
chusetts.
Accompanied by eminent brethren)
Most Worshipiul Alfred A. Hall, grand mas
ter of Vermont.
Fnller Battery, Captain Levi X. Fuller, COM
manding.
Upon arriving a. the monument double
me was formed by the procession, through
zach passed the grand officers and mem
3 o.-s of the Grand Lodge OF Vermont to a
position encircling the site of the monu-
mem. A national salute of IS guns was
tired by the Fuller Light battery
AS the Grand Lodge took its place by
'.he corner stone
After Grand Master Hall of the Grand
Lodge dedicated the stone to Virtue,
Loyalty and Patriotism he delivered his adj
lrc,s, substantially as follows: Mr.. Presi-
dent. Your Excellency and Gentlemen;-
Here on this consecrated ground little more
thln "A century ago, Noah Smith fresh from
College honors at Yale. pronounced the first
n rr having assembled the ladder of judicial
fipie IN this State, hc assisted in forming
Is Grand Lodge of Vermont and was its
fE 81. grand master, holding the Office and
a.. iarging its duties with credit to himself
IA, honor 10 the fraternity from 1874 to
4'~L 1t seems peculiarly fitting that the
Grand Lodge he labored to establish should
2se called upon to lay the corner stone of
-nonumnnt that, so long as granite shall
endure, will stand in perpetual commemo-
ration of the deeds of patriotism and valor
exhibited on the historic field, and by sym
Isoiic lesson teach the millions TO come after
rs duty, loyalty and heroism.
n To-Day it is our pleasure and our pride to
soin tie citizens of this commonwealth not
shls ~ MPsons but citizens as well in lay
ing the foundation of monument that is to
commemorate one of the grandest achieve
ments of the Revolution. In the emphatic
Language of Brother Smith, it may truth
fusly he said that ''to the effects of this ac-
tlSn must be attributed, in considerable
degree the series of successes that subse-
l. /